August 28, 2018 – Industrial Rock project TRASH DEITY,
the duo of Groovie Mann (My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult) and John
D. Norten (Blue Eyed Christ), release the title track for their highly
anticipated debut album, Cross & Divide. “Cross & Divide”
is a heavy, modern Industrial march of chaos about the divisive times
we live in, compete with a driving beat, big riffs, and the
distinctive vocal stylings of Groovie Mann.

Coming from Los
Angeles with roots in the legendary Chicago Wax Trax! scene is the new
duo Trash Deity. Combining the chaos and energy of the classic Wax
Trax! sound updated with hard and modern production, Trash Deity is
Groovie Mann aka Franke N. Nardiello (My Life With The Thrill Kill
Kult and accomplished music producer and Industrial artist John D.
Norten (Blue Eyed Christ). The debut Single, "Finger on a Trigger",
combined classic Groovie Mann vocals and cryptic lyrics with an
infectious heavy electronic/guitar groove benefitting from Norten’s
studio experience with major artists. The accompanying unique Music
Video was comprised entirely of manipulated shots of paintings from
the twisted imagination and eccentric mind of Groovie Mann. The second
single and video, “Run 4 Your Lies!” was released in 2017
solidifying Trash Deity and catching the attention of Metropolis
Records

"Cross & Divide
Album is an album for now and is a representation of the
confrontational and divisive times we live in. It’s a journey into
the manic world of Trash Deity from the opening invitation of
“Let’s run away” to the powerful closing Album statement
“Change”. Each song has its own identity, but the album was
designed to be a trip on a journey. It sounds totally cohesive and
totally chaotic at the same time…just like us!" – JDN

What
was the earliest influence in your life that led you to a music
career?

the vibrations from my mother’s record player that
she kept under my crib. She was 19. – Groovie Mann

Nardiello's
informally structured and yet deeply storied career began with his
first band, Special Affect, including Marti Sorenson & Harry
Rushakoff (Concrete Blonde) with Al Jourgensen (Ministry) on guitar.
Shortly after, he moved to London working with Simon Raymonde of
Cocteau Twins with post-punk band Drowning Craze, recording a John
Peel session in 1982. While touring with Ministry in 1986, he met and
began working with Buzz McCoy (Marston Daley) to write a film titled
Hammerhead Housewife and the Thrill Kill Kult, which was never filmed
but ultimately evolved into TKK and an EP released with Wax Trax!
Records. Over the next nearly 30 years, Groovie Mann has established
his iconic reputation with TKK and contributed songs to several movie
soundtracks, even appearing in the 1994 cult classic film The Crow.
He's also established himself as an accomplished painter in the LA art
community. His uniquely abstract style offers a further peak into the
mind and art of Groovie Mann and are sold to fans around the
world.

What would you consider to be the ‘crossroads’ that
directly led to you actively pursuing a musical career?

My
Insanity. – Groovie Mann

I would say my first Blue Eyed Christ
record deal with KK Records in Belgium right out of High School for
Leaders + Followers. It legitimized what I was doing for the first
time and made me realize people outside of my bedroom studio may be
interested in what I was doing. JDN

John D. Norten also
emerged from the 1990s Chicago Industrial scene as the leader of Blue
Eyed Christ. The debut album, Leaders + Followers, was released
internationally on Belgians classic EBM/Industrial label KK Records
while still in his teens. Over the next few years, Blue Eyed Christ
was featured on several prominent compilations and played the New
Music Seminar in 1992 at the Limelight with Clock DVA and Chemlab.
Blue Eyed Christ continued playing visceral live shows throughout the
90s and Norten continued recording at Chicago Trax Recording Studios
working with established musicians and engineers from Ministry, Nine
Inch Nails, and more. In 1996, Norten relocated to Los Angeles and has
established himself as an in demand mixer and engineer for many of the
biggest artists in the world including The Black Eyed Peas, Prince,
CeeLo Green, and Lady GaGa.

How are you inspired to start a
song and how does that develop from writing to composition, recording,
and completion? What was the process for this project?

Jump
into it -improvise with & without notes, laugh & cry &
argue with the producer. – Groovie Mann

I usually start with
the drums and music, but really anything can be the creative spark.
When I first met with Groovie Mann he came over and I played him a
bunch of instrumental tracks I had and he choose the ones that
inspired him the most lyrically. He would write to them while he
paints at home and then come over with notebooks full of ideas and
inspirational goodies. Once we wrote the lyrics and recorded his
vocals, I'd go back in and add more music and elements and we'd
arrange that into the songs. The whole process was very organic. –
JDN

Cross & Divide ultimately reflects both their shared
roots as well as their unique and individual approaches to songwriting
and recording. Groovie Mann's spontaneous and poetic lyrical reactions
to Norten’s carefully constructed song productions makes for a
compelling mix of something new with enough of a nod to the past sure
to please the old school fans and the newly
initiated.

More Interviews

Celer:
"Hill towns and empty mountains pass by, but the smoothness of the train blurs the view. It's easier than ever to fall asleep in the low morning sunlight, coming in through the train's windows". The lines of "Sky Limits" (recently released on Baskaru) by Will Long, the artist behind the Celer moni...

Covenant:
Chain D.L.K.: The masses basically see you as one of the main forerunners in this new electro-scene…How do you feel about that? Is it a compliment to you? Covenant: Yes it is! Chain D.L.K.: When you write do you write in 1st person, third person or both? Covenant: Both of c...

Splyntr: Discovered until now by only a very few supporters of Electro/Industrial music, the Canadian-based duo of Splyntr has recently self-released a first debut CD aptly entitled "Noise & Brotherhood". Consisting of the brothers Peter and Matthew Kwantes, they like rath...

Ilidio Chavez - Irina Sales Grade / Festival Forte:
Summer is the season of festivals and, as do most music lovers who like to share their passion, we checked some of them out. Medusa's Bed (the collaborative project by Lydia Lunch, Mia Zabelka and Zahra Mani), Jeff Mills, Byetone, Nathan Fake, Kangding Ray, Byetone, T.Raumschmiere, Ellen...

Unto Ashes: Chain D.L.K.: Tell us a little about the mission of the group and it’s beginning, for those new to you and to the scene. Unto Ashes: Michael Laird: The only mission has been to save ourselves from self-destruction. It's no secret that everyone who's ever b...

Follow Us

Writers Wanted

Chain D.L.K. is looking for RELIABLE AND ENTHUSIASTIC WRITERS interested in writing reviews and possibly doing interviews.
Chain D.L.K. is a non-for-profit entity so this position is not paid, however you will receive lots of CDs that you can keep or re-sell.
We need people who LOVE MUSIC and are PASSIONATE about music and who enjoy writing about it.
Contact Marc Urselli form the Contact Page if you are interested.
Thank you